Track roller assembly

ABSTRACT

A track roller assembly is secured between spaced roller mounting members. The track roller assembly includes a shaft having a head and an end both of which are hexagonal and are received in hexagonal openings of outer and inner ring members secured to the mounting members. The opening receiving the head is provided with diametrically-opposed semi-circular threaded apertures. The head of the shaft is also provided with diametrically-opposed semi-circular threaded apertures which are alignable with the apertures in the hexagonal opening. Fasteners are then threaded into the aligned apertures to hold the shaft in position between the mounting members. A bearing circumscribes the shaft and is bolted at one end to the outer ring member. A roller is mounted on the bearing.

United States Patent Foreman 51 Aug. 22, 1972 [54] TRACK ROLLER ASSEMBLY[72] Inventor: Kenneth C. Foreman, PO. Box 271,

Ketchikan, Alaska 99901 [22] Filed: Sept. 8, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 70,134

[52] US. Cl ..305/28, 308/ 18 [51] Int. Cl. ..B62d 55/14 [58] Field ofSearch ..305/28, 27; 308/18 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTSl ,41 1,448 4/ 1922 Matteson ..305/28 2,393,993 2/1946 Knox ..305/271,824,086 9/1931 Knox ..305/27 X 2,827,339 3/ 1958 Zunich ..305/18Primary Examiner-Richard J. Johnson Attorney-Seed, Berry & Dowrey A1181RACT A track roller assembly is secured between spaced roller mountingmembers. The track roller assembly includes a shaft having a head and anend both of which are hexagonal and are received in hexagonal openingsof outer and inner ring members secured to the mounting members. Theopening receiving the head is provided with diametrically-opposedsemi-circular threaded apertures. The head of the shaft is also providedwith diametrically-opposed semi-circular threaded apertures which arealignable with the apertures in the hexagonal opening. Fasteners arethen threaded into the aligned apertures to hold the shaft in positionbetween the mounting members. A bearing circumscribes the shaft and isbolted at one end to the outer ring member. A roller is mounted on thebear- 7 Clains, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED M22 1912 SHEEI 1 BF 2 FII G==11 FIIG==2 INVENTOR. KENNETH C. FOREMAN BY Q ATTORNEYS PATENTED I9723,685,871

sum 2 or 2 INVENTOR. KENNETH O. FDREMAN ATTORNEYS TRACK ROLLER ASSEMBLYBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This inventionpertains to tracked vehicles and, more particularly, to track rollerassemblies for such vehicles.

2. Description of the Prior Art l-Ieretofore track rollers forconventional track vehicles have been difficult to replace andparticularly have been highly susceptible to being damaged or shearedfrom their mountings. These difficulties have occurred primarily due tothe presence of boltheads or other fastening devices which protrudeoutwardly from the roller and thus are hit by the rocks, mud or the likein which the vehicle is operating.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide atrack roller assembly which has an improved means for mounting theroller to the vehicle and, particularly mounting means which is devoidof exposed fastening means.

Another object is to provide a track roller which is easy to install orreplace.

Basically the track roller assembly includes a shaft having an end and ahead which are received in openings in ring members provided on theroller mounting members of the vehicle. The opening receiving the headof the shaft and the shaft head are each provided with aligned lockingapertures. The shaft is held in place by locking means which are engagedin the aligned apertures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1. is a perspective view of atracked vehicle embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2. is a fragmentary side elevation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3. is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 4-4 ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 5-5 ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail illustrating a portion of theroller assembly with the shaft removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1 the under carriage 10of the track vehicle T is illustrated and includes a track roller frame12, an outer track quide 14, an inner track quide not shown, and a track16 movable over the track guides and over a plurality of track rollerassemblies 18 (FIG. 3). The track roller frame includes an inner rollermounting member 20 which supports the inner track guide on the frame 12.An outer roller mounting member 22 supports the outside track guide onthe roller frame 12.

The track roller assembly 18 includes a shaft 24 having a centralportion 24a, an end 24b and a head 24c. The shaft is preferablyhexagonal in cross section although it may be any other desired shape.Mounted on the shaft 24 is a bushing 26 having a hexagonal bore 27.Mounted on the bushing is a track roller 28 having a plurality ofconventional guide flanges 29.

The shaft 24 is held on the inner roller mounting member 20 by an innerring member 30 having a hexagonal opening 32 which receives the end 24b.The ring member is secured to the mounting member by welding or thelike. As is readily apparent there is nothing protruding outwardly whichmay be hit by rocks etc. and in addition the end of the shaft terminatesinwardly of the outside of the ring member as further protection.

The head 240 of the shaft 24 is provided with diametricallyopposedhalf-circular threaded apertures 46 which are aligned with half-circularthreaded apertures 48 in a hexagonal opening 49 of an outer ring member50. Outer ring member 50 is secured to the outer roller mounting memberas by welding. A set of locking members or fasteners 51 are threadablyengaged in the apertures to hold the head of the shaft in the ringmember. Again nothing protrudes outwardly to be hit by rocks or the likeand in addition the ring member is countersunk as at 52 for furtherprotection.

As is apparent the shaft 24 is easily removed by withdrawing thefasteners 51 and then sliding the shaft 24 outwardly through the ringmember 50 and outer roller mounting member 22. A threaded bore 53 forpulling the shaft is provided for this purpose. When installed thefasteners securelylock the shaft against both longitudinal androtational movement.

The bearing 26 is also secured in abutment against the ring member 50 bya plurality of cap screws 54 which are threadably received in bores 55in the bearing. One of bores 55 has an extension 55a which terminatesoutwardly at the interface between the roller 28 and the bearing so thatthe roller may belubricated through the bore 55.

While the preferred form of my invention has been illustrated anddescribed it should be understood that variations will be apparent toone skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the inventionnot be limited to the specific form illustrated but that the claimsappended hereto be given the broadest interpretation possible.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A track roller assembly for a track vehicle having a track rollerframe and a track movable over the track roller frame, said track rollerframe having inner and outer spaced roller mounting members, said trackroller assembly including shaft means for holding a track roller betweensaid mounting members, said shaft means having an end and a head, one ofsaid mounting members having means providing an opening for receivingthe end of said shaft means, the other of said mounting members havingmeans providing an opening for holding the head of said shaft means andprovided with at least one looking aperture, said shaft means beingreleasably mounted in said openings for axial withdrawal therefrom, saidhead of the shaft means having an aperture alignable with said onelocking aperture, locking means positioned in said aligned apertures forholding said shaft means in said openings, bearing means slidablymounted on said shaft means, and a track engaging roller mounted on saidbearing means whereby the track engaging roller is removable bywithdrawing said shaft from said head end from within said trackengaging roller.

2. The track roller assembly of claim 1 wherein said apertures are eachhalf-circular and threaded and said locking means includes a fastenerthreaded therein.

3. The track rolle'r of claim 1 wherein there are two of said aperturesarranged diametrically opposed in the opening in the head of said shaftmeans and each aperture is semi-circular whereby the aligned aperturesof a head and opening are circular.

4. The track roller assembly of claim 1 wherein said means providingopenings for receiving the end and head of said shaft means includefirst and second ring means having an end and a head, one of saidmounting members having a first ring member for providing an opening forreceiving the end of said shaft means, the

other of said mounting members having asecond ring I I member forproviding an opening for holding the head of said shaft means andprovided with at least one locking aperture, said head of the shaftmeans having an aperture alignable with said one locking aperture,locking means positioned in said aligned apertures, bearing meansmounted on said shaft means, said opening in said second ring member forthe head of said shaft means being countersunk, said bearing meansincluding longitudinal threaded bores aligned with bores in said secondring member and cap screws provided in said bores for securing thebearing means to said second ring member, and a track engaging rollermounted on said bearing means.

7. A track roller assembly of claim 6 wherein one of said bores in saidbearing means includes an extension terminating between the bearingmeans and the roller for lubricating'said roller.

1. A track roller assembly for a track vehicle having a track rollerframe and a track movable over the track roller frame, said track rollerframe having inner and outer spaced roller mounting members, said trackroller assembly including shaft means for holding a track roller betweensaid mounting members, said shaft means having an end and a head, one ofsaid mounting members having means providing an opening for receivingthe end of said shaft means, the other of said mounting members havingmeans providing an opening for holding the head of said shaft means andprovided with at least one locking aperture, said shaft means beingreleasably mounted in said openings for axial withdrawal therefrom, saidhead of the shaft means having an aperture alignable with said onelocking aperture, locking means positioned in said aligned apertures forholding said shaft means in said openings, bearing means slidablymounted on said shaft means, and a track engaging roller mounted on saidbearing means whereby the track engaging roller is removable bywithdrawing said shaft from said head end from within said trackengaging roller.
 2. The track roller assembly of claim 1 wherein saidapertures are each half-circular and threaded and said locking meansincludes a fastener threaded therein.
 3. The track roller of claim 1wherein there are two of said apertures arranged diametrically opposedin the opening in the head of said shaft means and each aperture issemi-circular whereby the aligned apertures of a head and opening arecircular.
 4. The track roller assembly of claim 1 wherein said meansproviding openings for receiving the end and head of said shaft meansinclude first and second ring members, respectively.
 5. The track rollerof claim 4 wherein said shaft means end and head are of hexagonal crosssection and said openings for receiving said end and said head are alsohexagonal.
 6. A track roller assembly for a track vehicle having a trackroller frame and a track movable over the track roller frame, said trackroller frame having inner and outer spaced roller mounting members, saidtrack roller assembly including shaft means for holding a track rollerbetween said mounting members, said shaft means having an end and ahead, one of said mounting members having a first ring member forproviding an opening for receiving the end of said shaft means, theother of said mounting members having a second ring member for providingan opening for holding the head of said shaft means and provided with atleast one locking aperture, said head of the shaft means having anaperture alignable with said one locking aperture, locking meanspositioned in said aligned apertures, bearing means mounted on saidshaft means, said opening in said second ring member for the head ofsaid shaft means being countersunk, said bearing means includinglongitudinal threaded bores aligned with bores in said second ringmember and cap screws provided in said bores for securing the bearingmeans to said second ring member, and a track engaging roller mounted onsaid bearing means.
 7. A track roller assembly of claim 6 wherein one ofsaid bores in said bearing means includes an extension terminatingbetween the bearing means and the roller for lubricating said roller.